The Storm of Fate
by ArtemisNakajima
Summary: This is an AE to the story Stand By Me. Because I'm nice I have incorporated the first 7 chapters from the story into this so if you have read Stand By Me then you can skip to 9. This story follows the whole 'Yuuri and Viktor hate each other but are forced into a really secluded (and cold ;p) room together and have to sort out their differences' thing i started in Stand By Me. HYL!
1. Chapter 1

Okay, I'll make this short. I'm not a first-time writer, but the band names, I agree, are terrible. If anyone has any better ideas, please feel free to message me. Also, in the first part Viktor is wearing the outfit that he was wearing in the first and last episode; the pink one!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuuri! On Ice! or its characters.

Also, the lyrics in this fanfic are actually to real songs. I'll list them out (in order of appearance) if you want to check them out. Oh, and let me know how well you think that the songs fit with the bands. THX!

-'Lazy Eye' by the Silversun Pickups

-'White Caps' by the Nevada Bachelors

-'Everybody Loves Me' by OneRepublic

-'Thought' by the Nevada Bachelors

"Come-on, guys! You guys can do it! It's not your first performance!" yelled Mari-chan to her brother, Katsuki Yuuri. He stood off to the side of the stage, his black eyeliner giving him a slightly goth look. His tight black jeans and black leather jacket only added to the look, as well as the silver chain at his hip and the solid black tee he wore below his studded jacket. He wore black zip-up boots, their pleather tops giving off a slight sheen. All in all, Yuuri looked ready for tonight's performance.

Phichit Chulanont, Yuuri's best friend, stood to his right. He wore a similar outfit to Yuuri's, except all white, the kohl around his eyes giving him a sort of manic look. Phichit held his base guitar, itching to play. Guang-Hong Ji, the drummer, twisted his sticks in his hands, occasionally tapping rhythms on the edge of the stage. His leather jacket was closer fitting than the others, and he wore slim black pants which glimmered in the faint light. He was the youngest; he was only 17, whereas Yuuri was 24, Phichit was 20, and Leo de la Iglesia (the gold-clad guitar player) was 19. None of them except Yuuri could drink, but the club allowed Leo, Guang-Hong, and Phichit in because they were performing.

The club was loud, canned music shrieking through the speakers. Yuuri was unable to pay attention to this; his anxiety was acting up again, and this was not a good thing for a famous singer like Yuuri. Not that he was THAT famous, but the band was famous enough to be opening for Stay Close to Me, one of the most famous bands of the decade. Viktor Nikiforov, the lead singer, was famously hot, and Christophe Giacometti (their guitar player) was known for being undeniably sexy. Otabek Altin played bass; if you could get that guy to talk to you… well you were one in a million, and Jean-Jacques Leroy… well, let's just say Stay Close to Me was STILL trying to figure out how he got in the band. He was a good drummer, though, no matter that he was also extremely self-obsessed. He wasn't very nice, but he was definitely good!

Yuuri sighed, looking up at the dark stage. In the din, he could just make out Phichit's bass stand and Guang-Hong's drum kit way on the far side of the stage. The mics at the front of were some that Yuuri had spent almost three years saving up for, and he cherished them more than most other things he owned. Their sliver heads bobbed as the stage crew set them up. Yuuri wrung his hands nervously, knowing that the moment they were done setting up the mics, Yuuri would have to get on stage with the band. His stage fright was nothing new; he'd had it since he was a kid, but it usually didn't act up this much. It was probably because this was the first time they'd be playing on a big stage, and they were opening for Stay Close to Me. How would you feel if you were opening for the band that got you to become a musician in the first place?

"Yuuri, calm down," muttered Mari-chan to Yuuri. He turned to look at her, taking in the short-shorts and fishnet stockings. Her tube top was solid black and the leather jacket she wore glinted with every turn of the lights. The make-up around her eyes was darker than Yuuri's even was, and her metal earrings and ear cuffs made her look almost off balance. Her two-toned hair was pulled back up on her head, and Yuuri wondered if she was ever going to dye it back to its original black. He didn't care so much though. It was his sister's hair, not his. He turned back to the stage still wringing his hands.

"Thanks for waiting I guess," a loud cheer. "Now shut up so we can start." The man had slipped onstage lithely, like a cat. He looked far too young for someone to be working here. His outfit, a black tee with a tiger below a tiger-print jacket, suggested that he was some sort of cat fan, and his long blond hair wrapped around his face like wrapping on a present. His name was Yuri Plisetzky; he was only 16, but he was legendary. He traveled with Stay Close to Me because his boyfriend, Otabek Altin, was in the band. Yuri sometimes sang back-up vocals for Stay Close to Me, but it was fairly rare. He just helped manage the band (Viktor was hopeless when it came to management) and used it to get into sold-out shows. Well, that and his attitude.

"Yuuri! Come on, you guys have to get up here! You start in less than a minute!" he shot down, kneeling on the side of the stage. He glared at them, obviously angry. The entire band rushed up on stage, grabbing instruments, tuning, hitting things (though this was mostly Guang-Hong). Yuuri sat the mics up on the front of the stage, doing his best to avoid looking into the crowd.

"Umm *feedback* we are… uh… History Makers," he squeaked into the mic, pulling away quickly to readjust his outfit. Then Guang Hong started to count in the first song.

"I've been waiting,

I've been waiting for this moment,

All my life,

But it's not quite right…" The music rang through the club, the cheering only growing as Yuuri gained confidence. He started to sing less because he had to and more because he truly wanted to. Wrapping his hand around the mic, he sang from his heart, the music flowing through him rather than around. Everyone was dancing, having a good time. Then Yuuri saw him.

Viktor Nikiforov stood on the far side of the room, watching the band play. He had a smile on his face, one Yuuri had never seen before in any of his pictures. Yuuri looked directly at him, the smile that had been growing on his face gone in an instant.

Because Viktor was staring, with those beautiful, turquoise eyes, directly at him.

Yuuri could feel his breathing start to falter. His idol, Viktor, was staring directly at him? How could this happen? Viktor seemed to sense that he was causing a disturbance, so he turned away, focusing on the rest of the band, but that look was gone.

Had Yuuri just imagined it?

"That's why I said I relate,

I said we relate,

It's so fun to relate…" The song continued, Viktor's look fading from Yuuri's mind as he finished.

"The moon, the sun, and the sky-y-y-y,

The moon, the sun, and the sky-y-y." Everyone cheered, clapping filling the grand room. Yuuri smiled, continuing on with his set, much less nervous now that he had received positive feedback. Viktor was gone; Yuuri was thankful, which struck him as odd. Viktor was his idol, so he should want Viktor to stay, right?

But that look.

Yuuri couldn't help the smile that found its way onto his face, but he still did not know why it was there, or what was making him feel so happy and giddy inside. His singing was unimpaired. It had nothing to do with the crowd, either.

Then what was it?

Before Yuuri could assess any more, their set was over. Yuuri and the rest of the band helped the crew clear away the kit and the mics, the stands remaining on stage for Stay Close to Me. Yuuri and the crew went back stage for a little while before leaving to watch Stay Close to Me. Yuuri, on the other hand, stayed inside for a little while longer. He heard Viktor's set coming through the door, and he just closed his eyes and listened, smiling. He'd always loved Viktor's music, but it'd recently gotten better. It just seemed like his music conveyed more of his feelings now. Like he'd finally found something that made him want to sing. Yuuri absentmindedly wondered what it was.

"Sorry, no human be-ings alowowowowed…" Viktor sang, dancing as he recited. As he sang, his body lowered, as though he was whispering into the audience. He moved his free arm back and forth as he danced to the beat, smiling. Yuuri had slipped into the audience just moments before, not expecting to see the look Viktor had on his face. He didn't expect to see Viktor looking into the audience as though he was searching for something. He didn't seem to be able to find it, and it seemed to bother him. Then he saw Yuuri.

Viktor's whole demeanor changed. He seemed to be singing TO Yuuri now, facing him and smiling directly into his eyes. Yuuri felt awkward; the stares that he was getting from others were bothering him.

"What? To seize revenge," he sang, smiling even more brightly than before. He turned in a circle as he danced, his pink outfit sparkling in the light. Viktor's eyes only left Yuuri's for a moment, and in that moment, Yuuri was able to get control of himself. As Viktor turned around, smiling, Yuuri began to walk away, his head down. Viktor's face fell immediately, and he almost missed an entrance. Yuuri felt bad for this, but he didn't understand why Viktor was staring at him.

Or why this undeniably-hot man was even interested in him in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

_March: 1 year later…_

Yuuri's phone beeped, startling him from a dream he'd had. He sat up, groaning. The bed he lay on he had had for almost 6 years now, but he hadn't the money to afford a new one. Buying a bed was a huge investment, and Yuuri had just gotten out of college. He wouldn't even have had the money to afford his apartment if he weren't sharing it with Phichit Chulanont, his best friend and band-mate. He tapped Phichit on the shoulder, earning him a jab in the ribs in response. Yuuri rubbed his side, shaking his friend awake.

"Phichit, we have a gig!" The band hadn't had a gig in almost four months now, Viktor Nikiforov's band taking all the ones they tried to get. It seemed that Viktor's band, the singer himself specifically, had something against History Makers. He was always trying to put his band out there more, but Yuuri had a hunch that Viktor just didn't want the History Makers to be able to perform. Thanks to this, they were now severely out of practice.

Phichit opened his eyes, wiping them casually with his wrist. He turned, facing Yuuri, his eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Really?" He sat up, hopping out of bed and grabbing his clothes from the dresser. He rushed to the bathroom to get dressed.

"I'll let Guang-Hong and Leo know!" Yuuri yelled, clicking on his messenger app. He smiled, noting how little time it took for Leo and Guang-Hong to answer.

-Great! Leo and I'll be there by around noon to practice!- Guang-Hong

-HEY! Don't speak for me!- Leo

-I'll be there at noon. *glares at Guang Hong*- Leo

-Okay. Phichit and I will see you there!-

Yuuri closed out of his phone, placing it in his pocket as he got dressed. As soon as Phichit was out of the bathroom, he and Yuuri gathered their band belongings and they ventured to their practice place on foot. It was a short walk; it was only a few blocks away. Leo and Guang-Hong stood outside the door, waiting for Yuuri and Phichit (Yuuri had the keys). They were laughing about something, smiling brightly, and Yuuri was almost reluctant to speak.

"Hey, guys!" Phichit yelled for Yuuri, understanding his reluctance to barge into the conversation. He turned, taking the key from Yuuri and entering the building. He looked to the others, saying,

"Ready to go?" They all cheered, sharing a group hug before rushing in a picking their instruments. Leo's guitar needed tuning, Guang-Hong's drumsticks needed to be organized, and Phichit's bass needed to be dusted. Yuuri had been using his mics during the entire period that they weren't playing shows, so they didn't need anything.

"Alright, guys, let's do 'Thoughts'." Everybody cheered, smiling. Guang-Hong counted in the song, and they began.

It was a disaster.

Yuuri's voice was fine, but Guang-Hong was dragging, Phichit missed some notes, and Leo was just flat out playing the wrong song. Yuuri stopped them about a third of the way through the song, yelling to stop. He helped Guang-Hong with the timing while Phichit went through and remembered the notes. Leo looked in his song-book from early on, refreshing his mind on what riffs went to what title. They started again, the result being much better, in Yuuri's eyes. Everyone else agreed that it was perfect, but Yuuri steadily lost his confidence, claiming that he was out of tune, Guang-Hong was still dragging, etc. The others eventually got aggravated by Yuuri's insistence that they were failing, deciding to leave. Yuuri protested, reminding them that their performance was in less than a week.

"What even IS this performance?" asked Guang-Hong. Yuuri was confused.

"I mean, WHERE? Who ELSE is playing?" Yuuri looked at his phone, suddenly curious. He cursed himself for not checking this before. He'd just readily agreed to play; they hadn't had a performance in months, and whatever it was, it should have been okay.

"HAAAAAAH?!" Yuuri gasped. He scrolled through again, doing a double take.

"What?!" asked the others, worried. They clustered around Yuuri, looking over his shoulder.

"A BAND COMPETITION?! YOU SIGNED US UP FOR A **BAND COMPETITION**?! Next FRIDAY?!" screeched Phichit, grabbing Yuuri's shoulders, who had thankfully remained silent. Yuuri continued scrolling, but soon regretting it.

"AGAINST **STAY CLOSE TO ME?!"**

"I-I-I didn't know! I just figured that any performance would be good!"

"Dude, we aren't prepared for this!" cried Guang-Hong.

"Yeah! We haven't practiced in months, and suddenly we've only got, like, FOUR days to practice for this competition!" yelled Leo, muttering _god_ under his breath.

"What are they playing?" asked Phichit, his eyes the size of watermelons. He looked at the setlist, his heart beating faster against Yuuri's arm as he leaned against his shoulder.

"They're playing 'Everybody Loves Me'? Why am I not surprised?" he said, attempting to lighten the conversation. Leo ignored this, saying,

"Is there any way to get us uninvited from this thing?"

"No. Not without it showing up that we were on the roster. If we left, it would look like we chickened out. We would lose popularity. Quickly," he said, shaking his head as though trying to dislodge a bad thought. The others stood back, their shoulders slumping.

"Okay, let's have a vote. Pros and Cons. If we did this, we could embarrass ourselves out there, which none of us want." He took a deep breath.

"If we didn't so this, we would look like failures; like we chickened out of a competition. What do you guys think? Raise your hand if you think we should do this. Keep in mind, we'd be going up against Stay Close to Me."

Yuuri took in a deep breath, watching the others. He thought that everyone would say no, but then Guang-Hong broke in.

"If you want to, we'll stand by you, Yuuri. We'll do it. What do you think?" He looked at the others, who immediately nodded their assent. Yuuri thought for a moment. He debated saying no. That would ease his conscience. But then he saw Viktor, making fun of their band and laughing at them. He saw Viktor's asinine acts to his band mates.

Then he had another thought.

He remembered the look Viktor had given him nearly a year ago, when History Makers opened for his band.

The smile.

Yuuri smirked.

"Okay, then. Let's do this."


	3. Chapter 3

_Day before the performance:_

"Okay, Chris, let's go over that one more time." Viktor was annoyed; Chris wasn't getting it. All he wanted were the flashy riffs and places to show off, but 'Everybody Loves Me' was not a song that contained many of those. Chris didn't like it. He glared at Viktor.

"Why are we doing this song, anyway?" Viktor rolled his eyes.

"Because it proves a point. Come on, Chris. Just figure it out." He turned, re-adjusting his mic. He motioned to Otabek and JJ.

"Anybody else got anything to say?" He asked passive-aggressively. Otabek shrugged, the usual stoic look on his face that only went away around Yuri Plisetsky. JJ, on the other hand, glared at Viktor, saying,

"Can we start already?"

Viktor turned, sighing in defeat. He closed his eyes, gripping the mic with his right hand and the stand with his left. He gestured to JJ to count in the song. JJ hit his sticks together, yelling _One, two, three, four!_ and they started. As the song progressed, Viktor started to lose focus.

"Oh, my, feels just like I don't try, looks so good I might die, all I know is everybody loves me..."

Viktor's thoughts traveled back to last year's performance. He saw on the roster that History Makers were playing, and he immediately decided that they would play 'Everybody Loves Me' because he wanted to show that they were better than the History Makers. The others asked repeatedly why; he simply said that he disliked them. They asked why he hated them; he said he didn't like the fact that they were trying to force them out of the music world, even though he knew they weren't.

He would never admit the real reason he hated them.

Viktor had seen Yuuri's face that night, had sang to him. He didn't know why; it just felt right. He remembered how Yuuri had turned away, as though he were better than Viktor. Viktor smirked, distracted. He put all his emotions into that song, dancing as though he were on stage. He hated Yuuri; he made Viktor feel less than human. He had simply wanted to talk to Yuuri; to get to know him, but Yuuri had just ignored him. He glared into the wall.

"Umm… Viktor?" said Chris. Viktor turned around, facing the band. His face fell, taking in the expressions of his band-mates.

"Hunh?" He said. Chris looked at Viktor's hand, which was white; he was gripping the stand too hard.

"The song's still going." Viktor glared at him.

"I know!"

"You stopped singing." Chris had a worried look on his face, an emotion he rarely expressed. Viktor stopped.

"What?" He checked himself.

"It was that Yuuri guy again, wasn't it?" Viktor jumped.

"What? NO! What are you ta—"

"Don't pretend like it's not. I've seen you around him. You used to rave about how cool he was, then after that performance last year, you suddenly started hating him. Why?" Viktor just faced forward, releasing the stand and stretching out his fingers. He rolled his head around, glowering.

"Let's just do the song," he growled. Chris didn't look ready to drop the subject, but although he opened his mouth to say something, he closed it again quickly.

"Alright." He might up his guitar pick, strumming a few practice notes. JJ counted in the song, and they began. They didn't get far.

"Head, down, swayin' to my own sound, flashes in my face now, all I know is everybody…"

"Vitkor! Keep singing! Come on!" yelled Otabek angrily, strumming harder on his bass. Viktor realized that he'd stopped singing again.

"Well, I, play the music, don't stop 'till I turn gray…" Viktor started singing again, pouring himself into singing for the band. He tried to ignore the memory of Yuuri's face that was trying to force its way into his brain.

"Oh, my, feels just like I don't try, looks so good I might die, all I know is everybody loves me. Everybody loves me, Ohhhhhhhhhhhh." Otabek hit off the last few notes, JJ playing until the very end. JJ held off until the very end of the song, but as soon as it was done…

"VIKTOR! IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO SING, THEN WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS BAND?!" JJ screamed, getting up from his drum kit and getting in Viktor's face. Viktor, generally the kind of person who'd hold his ground in a fight, just cowered.

"What is UP with you, Viktor? Ever since that performance last year, this band has been falling apart. You need to stop focusing on the winning part of it and think about the fact that maybe we don't care. Maybe we don't care about winning. Maybe we just want to play." Viktor looked at JJ, this realization dawning on him.

"We're fine for the performance, if Viktor can get himself together. I'll see you tomorrow." JJ stomped out of the practice space, simmering. Viktor only stared as the rest of his band-mates packed up their instruments, Otabek muttering something about a date and Chris saying they wouldn't be able to play with just two of the four people present. Viktor stood there for a few moments, empty room.

"Everybody Loves Me, eh?" Viktor muttered, sitting down on a fold-out chair. He was fine, but then, suddenly, the tears hit.

Viktor cried, his head in his hands. He didn't know what was wrong with him; he didn't realize anything in his performance had changed. Viktor's shoulders wracked with sobs, his eyes were puffy, and his hands were red with the prolonged pressure against his forehead. Then a sound came.

"Hey, um, someone accidentally delivered the wrong mail to my practice space, and I—" He stopped, seeing Viktor. Viktor looked up, taking in the running slacks and light sweater. The black rimmed glasses. The brown eyes.

Those eyes.

"Yuuri?" Viktor stood, anger now etching his features. Yuuri placed the mail on a chair by the door. He took in the color of Viktor's face, the sobs that still shook his frame, and started to walk backwards.

"Um, sorry, I have—to—go…" Yuuri slipped out the door, turning and running once he reached the street.

Viktor sat back down on the chair, crying even harder. He couldn't stop the tears, even while he was sleeping.

He'd just wanted to get to know Yuuri, that day a year ago, and he'd just ignored him. He told himself that was the problem. That it was because he wanted to be his friend.

But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to it than that.


	4. Chapter 4

_The day of:_

"Okay, Phichit, that's good. I think we should add a few notes there, though. It seems a little lacking," said Leo, strumming the bass riff on his guitar. They were in the practice space, just the two of them. The performance was less than 4 hours away, and Phichit and Leo were trying to fix one of the riffs they hadn't been clear on the week before. Leo played the riff perfectly, aggravating Phichit. He just couldn't seem to get it. Phichit calmed himself though; Leo was a show off. He'd probably put in extra practice to know both parts. He always did. Phichit didn't know why it bothered him this time.

"Hey, Phichit, come on. We have less than an hour. Yuuri and Guang-Hong want to meet up for lunch." Phichit grimaced; his performance usually got worse when he was rushed. He started to miss even more notes, glowering at the floor. Somehow, Leo didn't even hesitate when he was under time constraints; he was born for the stage. Phichit had to get this down though, because this was Yuuri's band they were talking about.

Phichit remembered when Yuuri brought up the idea of becoming a band in the first place, nearly 7 years ago. They had been out ice-skating, and as Yuuri performed a couple of perfect flips, Phichit saw something change.

Stay Close to Me was blasted through the speakers.

Phichit had always expected Yuuri to go into professional figure skating; he was a natural, so it surprised him when Yuuri brought up the idea to start a band. Phichit always knew he'd been influenced by Stay Close to Me, but he didn't realize it ran that deep. Phichit readily agreed, putting out a flyer for teens who wanted to be in a band. They'd had a couple weirdo's come in, but Guang-Hong had won their hearts immediately. He was younger than they'd expected; he was 10, and Yuuri didn't want to get someone that young into something this big. Phichit told him that he wouldn't have stopped Phichit, who was four years younger than him, from joining, so they allowed Guang-Hong. Leo came as a package deal; he and Guang-Hong had been friends forever, and he wanted to play guitar, so the four of them formed the History Makers.

The History Makers didn't perform many places; Guang-Hong, Leo, and Phichit had all needed to go back home for the next few summers. The three of them were transfer students learning Japanese in Kyushu, Hasetsu, so they couldn't stay the whole year. Phichit remembered Yuuri's face when he figured out that the band would have to go on hold for the entire summer. He figured Yuuri would have given up the idea over the course of the summer, or at least not practiced.

Yuuri's voice when they came back was worth the wait. Phichit remembered hearing Yuuri try to sing before the summer, and his voice was, well… subpar. He'd obviously put in practice, however, because when Phichit, Leo, and Guang-Hong came back, his voice was incredible. He'd heard Yuuri in his room, singing 'Lazy Eye', a song they still played at their performances. Yuuri had been singing to himself in his room, not expecting anybody to come by. Phichit, impressed, had decided to take a video. He'd posted it on social media; he figured Yuuri would appreciate the publicity it could bring, but he didn't expect what would happen.

It received more hits in 20 minutes than Phichit thought possible in a week. It was getting re-tweeted from twitter and his Instagram was flooded with messages. His email was packed with unread emails, most of them from people that he'd never even HEARD of before. Yuuri found the video and didn't talk to Phichit in a week. But then they started getting gigs. People suddenly wanted them to play at their birthday parties, and clubs were willing to let them play in their 21+ areas. The four of them became popular; not just in Kyushu, but all over the country.

Stay Close to Me had actually asked History Makers to open for them a year before. Phichit had wondered what had changed since then. Viktor seemed to have a special hatred to Yuuri, so he'd wondered if something had happened between the two of them.

Yuuri told Phichit about the look Viktor gave him; about how Viktor seemed to be directing the performance towards Yuuri. Phichit had to admit that made sense. Viktor had completely shifted his performance to Yuuri the moment he saw him; Phichit had seen this first hand.

He'd also seen Yuuri walk away.

Most people would probably say that what Yuuri did was rude and conceited, but Phichit knew this wasn't the case. He'd seen Yuuri's face before he walked away. The look of fear. Phichit had a hunch that Yuuri's anxiety had been acting up again, and he had just felt the need to escape. It was a look Phichit had seen often, but Viktor had not. He assumed that Viktor had probably just seen Yuuri walk away and mistaken it for some sort of dislike; that maybe Yuuri didn't actually like his band, and was only opening for them for the popularity. That would explain the way he'd acted around them since then, and why Viktor seemed ready to hurt him every time they saw each other.

"Phichit, come on!" Leo was at the door, holding it open for Phichit. Phichit quickly slipped off his bass, grabbing his backpack as they slipped out the door. Yuuri had suggested a restaurant down by the beach. Phichit and Leo arrived about fifteen minutes late, but Yuuri and Guang-Hong didn't seem to be there. They entered asking about their friends.

Phichit didn't feel reassured when the lady said they'd been in the bathroom for nearly fifteen minutes.

"Yuuri? Guang-Hong?" called Phichit, walking into the bathroom. The sobbing that met his ears made him rush in.

Yuuri sat in the corner of the room, Guang-Hong positioned next to him. He had his arms over Yuuri's shoulder, trying to console him.

"What happened?" asked Phichit.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," muttered Guang-Hong. Yuuri was obviously panicking; the look on his face was one Phichit had become accustomed to. He knelt in front of Yuuri, pulling his hands away from his face.

"Yuuri, please tell me," he lulled. Yuuri shook his head, sobbing harder.

"Please. Whatever it is, we're your best friends. Nothing's going happen."

"He…he scared me, that's all," but that obviously wasn't the reason Yuuri was crying.

"Who, Yuuri?" Phichit put his hands on his shoulders, looking directly at him.

"Viktor."

"Oh, god. Yuuri, why did you see Viktor? You KNOW he hates you."

"I-it wasn't on purpose! They mailed us the wrong mail, so I brought it over to the address that I found. I didn't realize that it was Viktor's practice space." He started crying again, the tears leaking out of his eyes.

"Phichit, he—he looked like he wanted to kill me. He was crying; I saw his band-mates leave moments earlier, but I didn't make the connection until I got inside the door. He stood up and said, 'Yuuri?', but it was menacing. He said it like it was the name of a disease. And the hatred in his eyes. I- I ran as fast as I could. I don't know what I ever did to him!" Yuuri looked completely lost. He didn't understand, but Phichit realized something.

Viktor hated Yuuri, but the year before, he'd been almost infatuated with him.

No. Not almost.

Viktor had liked Yuuri; that was why he wanted History Makers to open for Stay Close to Me. He'd seen Yuuri and had inadvertently directed his performance at him, expecting something from Yuuri, but Yuuri had just walked away. Viktor had been confused; why would Yuuri walk away?

It made so much sense. Phichit put his head in his hands, silently cursing Yuuri's problem with anxiety. He'd been scared; Viktor thought he'd been hateful. Viktor hadn't always hated him. He thought Yuuri did, because…

Phichit looked to Yuuri.

Yuuri didn't know it, but he broke Viktor's heart.


	5. Chapter 5

_The Art Space Bar Buena, Tokyo. 10:35pm._

It was snowing.

"Yuuri!" called Phichit, catching his attention. His meltdown earlier had put Phichit on high alert, and he'd suggested they not play. Yuuri, on the other hand, knew they had to finish what they started.

"Hey! Where'd you run off to?" Phichit coughed; he'd just run through the crowd at full steam.

"I didn't think it would be this crowded!" Yuuri yelled over the loud live music, either ignoring Phichit's question or just not hearing it. Phichit nodded.

"Neither did I! It really is crowded!" He remarked loudly. The announcer said the competition would start at eleven, but Yuuri and the band were required to be there earlier. The competition had an opening band, which was playing at this time, and Yuuri was doing his best to pay attention. Phichit was making this difficult. Yuuri scanned the crowd, searching for Guang-Hong and Leo. They were on the far side of the room, chatting a group of guys from the nearby college. They seemed to fit in so well, it was making Yuuri a little jealous. He turned away, looking back to Phichit.

"When do you think they'll open the room in the back so I can practice a bit?" asked Phichit, his fingers twitching in anticipation. The first competition was to be held today, and it was graded on content more-so than on performance. The performance scheduled for the next day was mostly about tone, voice, and their dancing abilities. Yuuri had a hunch that even if they won in the first competition, Stay Close to Me would ace the second one, which was worth more points. Yuuri knew that they were screwed, but he also knew that this was a great way to put themselves even more out there. The band might fail, but Stay Close to Me was known all over the world. Even if they lost, they would do their best, and it could add to their popularity. Yuuri grinned despite his anxiety.

They could do this.

"Alright, folks, it's eleven! Thanks for being here, and now it's time! We have our competitors." He motioned for Yuuri and Viktor to climb the stairs and onto the stage. Yuuri attempted to avoid looking at Viktor. When he did look, he saw the look he expected. Viktor glared at him murderously, whispering,

"I'll turn you Borscht, you pig." he said, glowering at Yuuri. Yuuri just ignored him, focusing on the crowd. The announcer continued his introduction.

"Here we have Katsuki Yuuri, the singer for the up-and-coming band History Makers. What do you say about the competition?" Yuuri straightened his blue coat, sweating slightly.

"Well, I feel that we can do this. My band and I have been practicing for a while, and I am excited to go against Stay Close to Me. They are the ones who inspired me to sing, after all." Yuuri looked at Viktor, smiling sheepishly. Viktor looked positively taken aback, oblivious to the cheering crowd.

"WOW! And here's our other lead competitor tonight; Viktor Nikiforov, the singer for Stay Close to Me, a popular band not just in Japan, but all over the world. What do you say?" Viktor leaned forward, shaking off the discomfort he acquired after Yuuri's comment. He resumed his glaring at Yuuri before putting up a happy façade.

Yuuri momentarily wondered if he was actually putting one up…

or pulling one down.

"We'll turn these guys into Borscht." He smiled, gesturing out into the crowd. They cheered loudly and Viktor turned back around, smirking at Yuuri. He had the crowd, but Yuuri wasn't surprised. Viktor thought they had an advantage, but History Makers actually held a greater one.

The people would be far more expectant of Viktor's band; they would hold them to higher standards, and even though they weren't the ones voting, it could have a severe impact on the team's scores. Yuuri smiled at Viktor, surprising him. Viktor growled, angry. He knew Yuuri was up to something, but he didn't know half of it.

"Now, if that's okay with you guys, I think we're ready for tonight's performance!"

Yuuri grinned, looking to Phichit. He smiled back at Yuuri, finally making the same connection Yuuri had made earlier. He gave Yuuri a thumbs-up.

Oh, yes. Tonight's performance was going to be interesting.


	6. Chapter 6

_The Art Space Bar Buena, Tokyo. 10:35pm._

It was snowing.

"Yuuri!" called Phichit, catching his attention. His meltdown earlier had put Phichit on high alert, and he'd suggested they not play. Yuuri, on the other hand, knew they had to finish what they started.

"Hey! Where'd you run off to?" Phichit coughed; he'd just run through the crowd at full steam.

"I didn't think it would be this crowded!" Yuuri yelled over the loud live music, either ignoring Phichit's question or just not hearing it. Phichit nodded.

"Neither did I! It really is crowded!" He remarked loudly. The announcer said the competition would start at eleven, but Yuuri and the band were required to be there earlier. The competition had an opening band, which was playing at this time, and Yuuri was doing his best to pay attention. Phichit was making this difficult. Yuuri scanned the crowd, searching for Guang-Hong and Leo. They were on the far side of the room, chatting a group of guys from the nearby college. They seemed to fit in so well, it was making Yuuri a little jealous. He turned away, looking back to Phichit.

"When do you think they'll open the room in the back so I can practice a bit?" asked Phichit, his fingers twitching in anticipation. The first competition was to be held today, and it was graded on content more-so than on performance. The performance scheduled for the next day was mostly about tone, voice, and their dancing abilities. Yuuri had a hunch that even if they won in the first competition, Stay Close to Me would ace the second one, which was worth more points. Yuuri knew that they were screwed, but he also knew that this was a great way to put themselves even more out there. The band might fail, but Stay Close to Me was known all over the world. Even if they lost, they would do their best, and it could add to their popularity. Yuuri grinned despite his anxiety.

They could do this.

"Alright, folks, it's eleven! Thanks for being here, and now it's time! We have our competitors." He motioned for Yuuri and Viktor to climb the stairs and onto the stage. Yuuri attempted to avoid looking at Viktor. When he did look, he saw the look he expected. Viktor glared at him murderously, whispering,

"I'll turn you Borscht, you pig." he said, glowering at Yuuri. Yuuri just ignored him, focusing on the crowd. The announcer continued his introduction.

"Here we have Katsuki Yuuri, the singer for the up-and-coming band History Makers. What do you say about the competition?" Yuuri straightened his blue coat, sweating slightly.

"Well, I feel that we can do this. My band and I have been practicing for a while, and I am excited to go against Stay Close to Me. They are the ones who inspired me to sing, after all." Yuuri looked at Viktor, smiling sheepishly. Viktor looked positively taken aback, oblivious to the cheering crowd.

"WOW! And here's our other lead competitor tonight; Viktor Nikiforov, the singer for Stay Close to Me, a popular band not just in Japan, but all over the world. What do you say?" Viktor leaned forward, shaking off the discomfort he acquired after Yuuri's comment. He resumed his glaring at Yuuri before putting up a happy façade.

Yuuri momentarily wondered if he was actually putting one up…

or pulling one down.

"We'll turn these guys into Borscht." He smiled, gesturing out into the crowd. They cheered loudly and Viktor turned back around, smirking at Yuuri. He had the crowd, but Yuuri wasn't surprised. Viktor thought they had an advantage, but History Makers actually held a greater one.

The people would be far more expectant of Viktor's band; they would hold them to higher standards, and even though they weren't the ones voting, it could have a severe impact on the team's scores. Yuuri smiled at Viktor, surprising him. Viktor growled, angry. He knew Yuuri was up to something, but he didn't know half of it.

"Now, if that's okay with you guys, I think we're ready for tonight's performance!"

Yuuri grinned, looking to Phichit. He smiled back at Yuuri, finally making the same connection Yuuri had made earlier. He gave Yuuri a thumbs-up.

Oh, yes. Tonight's performance was going to be interesting.


	7. Chapter 7

"Yuuri, your band is going first!" called the announcer. He motioned for the band to come up on stage, asking what songs are you guys going to do?"

"You want my set list? Okay. We have 'Thought' and 'Lazy Eye'," Yuuri said, smiling brightly into the crowd. The audience roared, they'd obviously heard their two most famous songs; 'Lazy Eye' and 'Thought'. Yuuri started to feel better, but then the announcer said,

"Great! Good luck! What about you, Viktor?" he asked Viktor, who stood beside the stage.

"'White Caps' and 'Everybody Loves Me'," he said, staring at his cuticles absentmindedly. He acted like this whole thing was a joke; like it didn't matter, but Yuuri knew that he was only faking it. This thing meant more to Yuuri than it did to Viktor, but it still meant loads to him. This would prove who was actually the best. Never mind that Stay Close to Me would probably win anyway.

"You ready?" The announcer asked Yuuri. He nodded, smiling confidently.

 _Weather Report: The snow-fall has gotten heavier. Experts suggest that it may turn into a full-on snowstorm by midnight. Please stay off the roads tonight._

The report caused Yuuri's phone to buzz, but he wasn't able to get it. The band was already climbing up on stage, and Yuuri needed to help set up. He adjusted his clothes every few moments, extremely self-conscious. Phichit smiled at him, and before they all went to their respective stations, Phichit and Leo pulled everyone into a group hug in the center of the stage.

"No matter what happens, we will stay a band, right?" asked Phichit. Yuuri nodded, looking at the others and watching their heads bob up and down with his own. Yuuri risked a glance at Viktor, who was still (unsurprisingly) glowering at him. Yuuri felt confident; in other words, he had a death wish.

Viktor froze as Yuuri's arms wrapped around him. Yuuri could feel Viktor's heart beat fast against his chest, warming him, and he giggled. Viktor's arms were raised in the air in a gesture of surrender, but he didn't pull away from Yuuri. Yuuri pulled away, intending to say, 'good luck', but the look on Viktor's face surprised him so much, he stilled.

Viktor had the same look on his face as he'd had the year before, except now he was blushing furiously. As Yuuri stepped back, Viktor moved forward, bringing his hands down. Yuuri thought _Is Viktor going to hug ME?_ but Viktor seemed to get control of himself at the last second, moving back and shoving his hand into his hair, embarrassed. Yuuri laughed, turning back to the stage, a swagger in his steps he hadn't had before. When he turned back to Viktor, he was still smiling profusely, facing away from the crowd. He didn't turn back until he'd mastered his face and was back to glaring.

"How did you get Viktor to SMILE AT YOU?" whispered Phichit forcefully, bending low to Yuuri's ear. Yuuri just shrugged, his anxiety gone for the time being. When he turned to Phichit, the awed look he wore made Yuuri laugh.

"Why did you do it in the first place?"

"I don't know, it just seemed… right. It's kind of like knowing you need to turn off the burner after you're done cooking. I needed to hug him because… it was the right thing to do," Yuuri said metaphorically. He walked to the front of the stage, grinning happily.

"Go get your bass. We've got something to show them."

Then Guang-Hong counted down, and Yuuri made a split-second decision. He decided he wanted to surprise the audience.

When Yuuri was 15, he learned how to play guitar. His teacher claimed he was a natural; he was amazing at it, but Yuuri was unable to take a compliment. He ended up quitting because his teacher was getting too pushy about him performing, but he still played.

And he knew the lead part as well as Leo knew both parts.

"Leo, play rhythm!" he called, slipping the extra guitar over his neck. He strummed a few notes experimentally before Guang-Hong reached zero.

And then he started to play.

It was an immediate hit. Everyone in the audience started cheering, marveling at how well Yuuri could play. He'd never played guitar in front of an audience before, and they were going nuts because of it.

"LOCKED AND LOADED! STILL THE SAME OLD DECENT LAZY EYE, STRAIGHT THROUGH YOUR GAZE. THAT'S WHY I SAID I RELATE! I SAID I RELATE, IT'S SO FUN TO RELATE!" Yuuri yelled, jumping in the air and landing a full 360 ̊ spin, guitar and all. The red fender came disastrously close to hitting the mic stand, but Yuuri knew what he was doing. He missed it by about two inches.

The crowd cheered, watching the band rock like they'd never rocked before. The whole group was smiling, watching the crazed crowd yell and call their names. Yuuri was happy, deciding that he'd already taken one chance today; might as well take another. He glanced at Viktor.

And was glad he did.

The smile that lit Viktor's face brightened Yuuri's tenfold, which Yuuri hadn't even thought possible. Viktor watched the band play, staring at Yuuri. Something had changed within his eyes for a moment there, but when he finally noticed that the man he was staring at was staring directly back at him, he shifted his gaze. The usual, hardened look he had while he was around the History Makers was back.

But Viktor had still smiled. No matter how much Yuuri knew he would deny it, Viktor had smiled while listening to the History Makers play. He had enjoyed it. Yuuri's grin only got bigger, and he stopped singing for himself. He sang for Viktor.

There was nothing romantic about it, or so he told himself. He just felt bad for Viktor. Viktor had always tried to be rude to the History Makers, and he didn't want to change that, so he figured that even though he liked the band, he would act like he didn't. Or at least, that's what Yuuri thought. Viktor was off to the side of the stage, glaring, but he couldn't look at the History Makers.

Because whenever he did, his smile came back, his blush covering his entire face. Yuuri was surprised that his band affected Viktor this much.

It didn't even occur to him that maybe it wasn't the band that was affecting him.

Maybe Katsuki Yuuri just had a charm that went beyond the looks he was giving to the crowd.

Yuuri finished the song, pushing his guitar forward and hitting the last note with a flourish. He let go of the guitar, letting it rest against his stomach as he waved to the crowd. Yuuri couldn't keep his eyes off Viktor, though. The man looked hateful, scanning his bandmates like a tiger choosing its prey, but there was something about him that was so… entrancing. Yuuri would wave at the crowd, then sneak a look at Viktor out of the corner of his eye, and even though he looked like he'd never smiled in his life, Yuuri was brought back to the moments when Viktor had smiled.

A smile that positively lit up the sky.


	8. Chapter 8

Yuuri had hugged him.

Viktor shook his head, believing he must have been imagining things, but even while his eyes were closed he could feel Yuuri's arms around him. Although Viktor knew that he should pull away, he couldn't do it; he just held his arms above himself, trying to not wrap his arms around Yuuri in turn. He loved the feeling of Yuuri's body against his, and he—

Viktor shook away the thought. What the hell was wrong with him?

Viktor felt the heat rising in his cheeks, knowing this would ruin his reputation with the band. He kept telling himself that he hated the History Makers; that he hated Yuuri.

But as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't think that was true anymore.

No. Not anymore. He didn't think he'd ever hated Yuuri in the first place.

Viktor was thankful when Yuuri pulled away. His presence was threatening his self-control, but Viktor refused to admit the fact that he truly wanted Yuuri to hug him again. He didn't realize that he was leaning forward to return the gesture until Yuuri's smile turned into a look of shock. He'd been able to control himself at the last moment, but he cursed himself for getting that close.

Plus, judging from Yuuri's reaction, he'd gotten what Viktor had stopped himself from doing.

And he smiled.

Yuuri's set was over too quickly. When he picked up that guitar, he set the entire crowd ablaze, including Viktor. He didn't know that Yuuri could play guitar. He was also amazing at it.

He wondered if Yuuri could ki—

Viktor shook his head again, dislodging the thought before it could take root in his mind. Viktor was starting to ACTUALLY hate Yuuri now, because no woman—or man—had ever made him question himself like Yuuri did. Viktor hated questioning himself; he loved feeling confident. It was something that he rarely got to appreciate, but this moment was one of those rare times. He looked away, unable to keep a smile off his face as he stared at Yuuri, even after his performance was over.

Viktor knew that Yuuri would detest it, but he forced a glare at Yuuri's band-mates. When he saw Yuuri, he stared at him for a moment. Yuuri didn't look mad though. He looked amused. Viktor's glare was almost twice as horrifying now, a look of pure hate, and he knew it.

Then Yuuri grinned. He walked over to Viktor, smiling enormously. Standing right in front of him, he leaned forward, whispering - _Davai_ \- in his ear.

Viktor, again, felt his restraint ebbing away. Then Yuuri pulled away.

And winked.

Viktor completely lost it. He leaned forward, gaining enough control to veer from his face. He hugged him, hard, muttering,

"удачи (thank you)." Yuuri choked, flinging his arms up in a very similar way to Viktor's movements before the performance. But this time was different, because this time…

…Yuuri hugged him back.

Yuuri then pulled away, smiling the biggest smile Viktor had ever seen. Viktor, enthralled, looked into Yuuri's eyes, noticing something he found strange. Yuuri's eyes were sparkling, but not from happiness. They were sparkling with—

Yuuri turned around, smiling again before walking back stage. He didn't look back once. Viktor called his name, but he didn't answer. He just walked away.

Again.

"And here we have the second band up, Stay Close to Me. I wonder how they'll fare after History Makers' performance. They captured the audience's attention the moment they walked on stage. Can Stay Close to Me top that?" The man gestured to Viktor, who was mad again.

Yuuri did that, then just walked away? Why the hell would he do that? He thought Yuuri understood him.

Unless it was just an act.

Viktor snarled, facing the crowd again. He was determined to beat Yuuri. Even though he'd only moments ago wanted to give up the competition to help with History Makers' popularity, he rid himself of that thought the moment Yuuri walked away from him. He couldn't believe Yuuri, copying the events of last year.

"Well beat these guys to the dirt. Придурки." Viktor searched the crowd for Yuuri. Upon finding him, he shot him the most horrifying and deadly stare that he could, and Yuuri stepped back, clearly confused.

Viktor assumed he was faking it again. Yuuri mouthed something as he stared, terrified, at Viktor. Viktor made it out as Russian, then it was English. Придурки. He translated it.

How did Yuuri know Russian?

Viktor shook off his uneasy feeling, glaring at the rest of the History Makers. He wasn't going to be fooled this time.

It didn't even occur to him that the only person he was fooling was himself.

"The song we're doing is called 'White Caps'," growled Viktor into the mic, turning back to his band mates.

"Let's show them hell," he muttered devilishly. The others grinned, Otabek smirking at Viktor.

"Yes, boss."

The song was incredible. It was definitely not their best performance, but it was still amazing. Viktor copied last year, singing to Yuuri.

But this time, it was menacing.

He sneered at Yuuri, hurt him emotionally. The look he was giving Viktor in return was very different from the one the year before. Last year, he'd looked condescending, but also frightened. This year, he looked like Viktor had killed his lover.

Which, in a way, he had.

"What? TO SIEZE REVENGE," he sang, marveling at how well the lyrics went with his actions. Viktor felt in control; like he had enough power to control the world. When the song was over, he laughed manically under his breath. The look of hopelessness Yuuri was giving him tore a part of his heart, but Viktor didn't stop. He flipped him off, knowing he would lose sportsmanship points but not entirely caring.

Yuuri cried.

The tears rolled down his face, staining his cheeks and reddening his eyes. Yuuri covered his mouth. He looked confused, but mostly hurt.

Hurt beyond belief.

Yuuri ran, forcing his way through the crowd as he sobbed. Viktor hated the part of him that felt bad, but he couldn't avoid it. Viktor stood there, his middle finger sticking up in the air…

…tears rolling down his face in much the same way as Yuuri's had.

What was wrong with him? He was crying again. He didn't even know why. He'd just gotten Yuuri back for what he'd done to him.

But then it occurred to Viktor.

Yuuri hadn't done anything.

It was Viktor.

It was always Viktor.

He collapsed onto the stage, his legs on either side of him as he buried his head in his hands, crying harder than ever before.


	9. Chapter 9

The bathroom was as sparse as Yuuri hoped when he rushed in, hot tears running like rivers down his cheeks. He felt like his heart was breaking in a million pieces again, and he wasn't sure that he'd be able to take it anymore. He ran into one corner of the blinding room, slinking down the wall and wrapping his arms around his knees as he sobbed.

"Yuuri..." A voice broke in on his thoughts, and he cried even more as he recognized the Russian accent the man holding the door spoke with. He looked up nervously, but the man wouldn't look at him. Yuuri was surprised to see the shiny tears on his cheeks, but even more so the cracking of his voice. The entirety of his face was lit with shame, and he leaned against the door, his silver hair obscuring Yuuri's full view of his face.

"I- I'm sorry..." Viktor bit his lip, the look on his face signifying that he wanted to say more, but he just looked down at the tile floor, scuffing it with the tip of his combat boots.

"What I did was stupid, and I just wanted to apologize for it. I can be kind of an asshole sometimes, and... I am really airheaded... and..." He sighed at length.

"That's all I wanted to say." Viktor turned, preparing to walk out the door, but Yuuri said,

"WAIT! I... umm..." Viktor turned around, staring at Yuuri with wide eyes and his mouth open a little.

"I'm... sorry too." Yuuri looked at the floor, but he glanced back up at Viktor nervously. The man smiled tightly, nodding and walking out the door as Yuuri stood. He dusted off his pants, pulling out his phone and finding one of the most coincidental and annoying notifications he thought he could ever find.

Warning: A major snow storm has touched down just south of Tokyo, and most locations in and around the area have been snowed in. Please stay off the roads tonight.

Snow Storm?! They hadn't had one of those in Tokyo since... well, Yuuri couldn't even remember, it'd been so long ago. He scrambled up from his spot on the floor, walking out the door to the bathroom (while still trying to control his sniffles) and wiping his face on his sleeve. He rushed up to his band mates, shaking Phichit lightly.

"Oh, Yuuri, where have you been?" Phichit shouted, hugging him tightly as Yuuri squeaked and gasped for air. He waved his arms about, and Phichit released him, taking in his flushed cheeks and tear stained face. Phichit frowned and hugged Yuuri again, this time a little less bone crushing, but Yuuri was still short of breath when he finally let go.

"We were so scared for you! I can't believe Viktor did that! Actually, I can, but that's not the point..." Phichit babbled nervously, eyes rolling around as he tried to come up with some excuse for why he hadn't followed Yuuri, but Yuuri admitted he was actually thankful that Phichit hadn't followed him. It gave him a chance to collect his thoughts, to focus. Even if he'd had a mental breakdown and cried in the corner of a bathroom for nearly twenty minutes.

Yuuri glanced around, watching the small group of people filter aimlessly out the doors into the snowstorm, completely unfazed by the swirling snow and the loud roaring of the wind. Staring at it helped Yuuri get come back to the present, and he turned back towards his bandmates, heart set.

"Guys, we should probably pack everything up before the storm gets really bad. We do want to get out of here, don't we?" The others nodded in assent, and they all walked up the stage, packing up their belongings before stumbling towards the doors.

"Um, sirs?" called a voice behind them.

"We... we are locking up, and we can't let you go. Here." He turned towards Stay Close to Me, calling the four over. Once they all stood before him, he sighed at length.

"Okay... the storm is really bad right now, and... well... we've been snowed in. We have a few rooms upstairs that you guys could stay in, but they are all super small and will literally only fit two people each. You guys can figure out how you want to split up the rooms, but that's all we can do for you." He clasped his hands together, and both bands groaned in unison.

Yuuri was looking forward to getting some sleep tonight, but right now it didn't look very promising.

"Okay," started Phichit.

"Leo, you and Guang-Hong could take a room," they nodded in assent, walking up the stairs together and away from the others. Phichit turned to Viktor, who looked amused, if anything.

"You and Chris... maybe?" he said nervously, watching the two recoil.

"No, I am never sleeping in the same room as Chris, ever. Think again." He glared at Chris, who looked at him with mild interest. He turned away.

"Okay then. Otabek and Yuri Plisetzky, you two are dating right?" Yuri leaned in and placed a light kiss on Otabek's lips, pulling him away from the rest of the group.

"Yep."

"Okay... JJ and..."

"I AM NOT ROOMING WITH ANYONE GOODBYE," and he ran up the stairs, locking himself in a room.

Phichit glanced nervously at Chris, saying,

"Are you sure that you can't room with Viktor."

"He seems quite passionate, and I do not want to be on his bad side. How about you and I room and these two can work out their differences." Yuuri caught the wink that Chris sent Viktor's way, watching Viktor blush in embarrassment. Phichit continued on as though he hadn't noticed, watching the man refuse completely.

"No. Not after the shit that Viktor has been giving Yuuri for the past year-"

"No, Phichit, it's fine. I don't want to... I don't want to get in the way. I'll just room with Viktor."Yuuri said quietly, looking at the floor. Phichits mouth hung open in surprise, his mouth forming perfect O Chris walked away up to the room, and Viktor went back to packing up supplies. Phichit walked up to Yuuri, giving him a nervous look.

"Yuuri-"

"Phichit its fine, don't worry. Plus, there's something about the look that Chris gave Viktor that makes me want to talk to him. Don't worry; I'll be fine." He hugged his best friend, sending him off up the stairs to the room he was sharing with Chris.

Yuuri walked up to Viktor, opening his mouth, but then closing it again on instinct. He leaned down next to Viktor, starting to wrap up a cord.

"What are you doing?" asked Viktor. There was nothing malicious to it; he was simply asking Yuuri why he was picking up the cable.

"I'm helping you." He smiled wanly, coiling it around his hand and tying it off with a twist-tie. They continued on in silence for nearly twenty minutes, not even looking at each other. They just packed up all of the equipment Stay Close to Me had set up, working around each other.

Yuuri was leaning down to pick up a guitar pedal when he heard a light sound.

"I've got it-" Viktor started, then he saw the man's fingers reached for the pedal. Yuuri felt his hand brush against Viktor's as he picked up the object, a single spark of electricity rushing up his spine and he shivered. He looked up, seeing Viktor's eyes mere inches from his face. He could feel his breath, fast and loud, on his cheeks, and he smiled lightly. Yuuri watched the man blush slightly, taking the pedal from his hands. When Yuuri started to protest, Viktor placed a finger on Yuuri's lips, effectively shutting him up.

"I told you I had it," he said, mischief glinting in his eyes as he smiled. Then he turned away, bending down and placing the pedal in a small case and continuing to clean.

After about twenty minutes, the two of them had finished, tired and sore. They both stood and walked towards the stairs together, sharing a look as they walked up the stairs.

To be honest, the man who had told them to stay was being optimistic when he said it would fit two people. It was about ten feet tall, but was about 6 feet square. There was no way either of them would be able to sleep without being practically on top of one another.

Yuuri grimaced, looking at Viktor and crawling into the farthest corner. He doubted he'd be able to sleep anyway, so he figured he'd take up as little space as possible. Viktor frowned as he closed the door, and because this was nothing more than a broom closet they had no light; they were plunged into darkness. Yuuri smiled a bit to himself; it would be much easier talking to Viktor if he couldn't see him.

"Viktor?" he asked quietly, scuffing his foot against the floor. He heard Viktor groan as he accidentally kicked him with his foot.

"Crap, sorry; I thought how small this thing is."

"You did, did you?" Viktor asked, no doubt rubbing his side. He pulled out his phone, turning on the flashlight option and setting it up in the middle of the room. He placed a receipt over the light to mellow it out a little, looking up at Yuuri angrily.

"What do you want?" Yuuri was stung by Viktor's harsh tone, looking down and trying to cover the blush creeping up onto his cheeks.

"Never mind," he whispered, then seemed to change his mind.

"Why do you hate me?" Viktor sighed deeply, rolling his eyes.

"I don't HATE you, I just..." he stopped thinking. Then he just shrugged his shoulders, turning over and shutting off the light from his phone with a groan. Yuuri turned over, lying across the room from Viktor and trying not to focus on how his breath clouded before him or how he was shivering from head to toe.

"It's... it's really cold, isn't it?" He asked, teeth chattering slightly. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to keep warm.

Then he felt arms circle his waist.

Yuuri gasped as Viktor wrapped himself around him, holding Yuuri's slight hand sin his larger ones. He placed his chin on Yuuri's shoulder, tangling his legs with Yuuri's as the man tried to calm his racing heart. He couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine as Viktor whispered in his ear, however, his warm breath tickling Yuuri's neck.

"I don't hate you." He leaned forward, kissing Yuuri on the cheek.

"I could never hate you."


	10. Chapter 10

Yuuri awoke at nearly one in the morning, a strange feeling contentment filling his body. In his first few moments of consciousness, he was aware of only that there was something warm next to him and that he wanted that warmth, snuggling farther into whatever it was that was next to him. He turned over, curling his arms into the space between him and the warm object, his head bent downward before he became aware of what this object was.

Yuuri's eyes flew open. He could feel warm arms surround him once again, wrapping around him and drawing him closer Viktor, who was obviously still asleep. He could hear Viktor's heartbeat as he finally gave in, curling his legs closer to Viktor.

"Yuuri..." Yuuri heard Viktor mutter in his sleep, making him blush, but he paid it no mind. Exhausted, he fell back asleep, the steady, rhythmic pounding of Viktor's heart in his ears.

..oo00oo..

"They almost look like love birds if you ask me." Yuuri was awakened by the opening of the closet door, and he was made quickly and painfully aware of the bright lights and warmth rushing into the room. He sat up blearily, listening to Viktor groan beside him as he woke up as well. The first thing he did when he sat up was look at Viktor and smile lightly, watching the man do the same. Then he glanced up at their human alarm clocks, trying to make out their faces.

"Phichit? Chris?" he asked, squinting. He was having difficulty seeing, which could probably be explained by his lack of glasses. He turned and searched the room for them on his hands and knees, the abysmal lighting not doing anything to aid him in his endeavor, but the moment they were on his face, he looked up, only to be proven correct.

"What are you guys doing in here," he asked sluggishly, reaching under his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

"I might ask you the same thing," Chris said, grinning and nodding at Viktor, who had gone back to sleep. Yuuri forced himself to not give in to the want to just lay back down and snuggle in beside him, instead looking up at the two musicians.

"I-It was cold," he stuttered, a flush creeping up on his cheeks. He looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Yeah, right," Phichit muttered.

"Well, hey; at least you aren't gonna try to kill each other again." He winked at Yuuri, whose only reaction was to blush an even fiercer shade of red. Chris and Phichit shared a look before staring back at the two on the floor.

"Hey, anyone would have. It was a small room, and it was really cold!" Yuuri threw his hands up in the air.

"I didn't get THAT cozy with my roommate." Chris said, looking over at Phichit. Phichit recoiled slightly, giving him a yeah, but you tried look. Yuuri laughed at their discomfort, but was soon rewarded with unamused stares from both of the men in question.

"Plus, you guys, like, HATED each other. What changed?" asked Phichit, his customary look of curiosity back on his face.

"IT. WAS. COLD," Yuuri stated the obvious once again, glaring up at Phichit. He neglected to mention the kiss Viktor had given him, or the fact that all he'd really wanted to do for the last ten minutes was go back to sleep, figuring that would only spur the two on. He himself didn't even know what to make of these feelings, but he just shook it off, watching Chris and Phichit share another look.

"Could you guys please stop doing that?" Yuuri breathed, exasperated. He didn't even want to be talking at this hour.

He didn't even know what THIS HOUR was.

"Yeah, fine. Listen, we only came up to let you know that it's only 5 but they're finally letting us go. So, if you want to leave..." Yuuri felt his heart sink, though he didn't entirely understand why. It probably had something to do with the man who was slowly waking up on the floor.

"Uh... okay. I don't think I want to be on the roads at this hour though so I'll stay and take a taxi back to my place after. It's kind of out of the way for the rest of you guys anyway." This he directed at Phichit, who nodded in assent. Chris stepped forward, shaking Viktor's shoulder.

"Hey sleepyhead, you want to go home?" Viktor groaned, waving Chris away but sitting up. He looked at Yuuri, who was trying his best not to look desperate, and gestured outside.

"It's still all icy and dark I don't wanna crash," he muttered, half awake.

"Leave me in peace I'm going to sleep a little longer." Yuuri let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and both Phichit and Chris looked over at him. He went from pink to scarlet, turning back around and putting his glasses in a corner with Viktor's bag.

"Okay, we'll leave you guys to 'sleep' a little longer." Even though he was facing away, Yuuri could hear the smirk in Chris' voice. When they finally closed the door on the two of them, he could hear their laughter down the hall, the others soon joining in from their rooms down the way. Yuuri only rolled his eyes, looking over at Viktor.

"Hey," he said, smiling at Yuuri. He reached up and dragged Yuuri down beside him, curling up in front of Yuuri and looking him straight in the eyes.

"Maybe they're right." Yuuri turned (if it was even possible) an even darker shade of red, and Viktor laughed airily. He had a beautiful laugh, his mouth forming a near perfect heart when he was happy. Then he looked back at Yuuri, but the way he was looking at him made Yuuri slightly uncomfortable, so Yuuri turned away. He snuggled up farther next to Viktor, enjoying the heat radiating from his skin.

But just before Yuuri fell asleep, he realized why that look had made him uncomfortable. It was one he had seen in a completely different setting, surrounded by people. One that he had seen Viktor give him.

And it had been quite a long time since he had seen it last.

Almost a year, in fact.

Yuuri grinned to himself, slipping off into sleep with bright smile on his face.

One that he hadn't worn in a very, very long while.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey, has anyone ever noticed the word desserts backwards is stressed? Because who doesn't want desserts when they're stressed 😜**

 **Anyway I hope you guys are liking the story! This is much closer to what I had planned to write for Stand By Me (if you don't remember this is actually what it was originally called) and so I am feeling pretty happy with it (if I do say so myself). I'm hoping that you guys enjoy it and I promise this chapter is like mostly fluffy so yeah 🙂🙂🙂!**

When Yuuri finally woke up at around noon, the first thing he noticed was that he couldn't feel Viktor beside him. He whined subconsciously and he felt a hand on his shoulder, nudging him slightly.

"Hey, I'm right here don't worry," Viktor said, chuckling. Yuuri sat up and looked behind him at Viktor, who was sitting up on his phone.

"T-that's not w-why I was..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Viktor was smiling as he stared down at his phone, the telltale sign if a blush creeping up under his long eyelashes.

Wait, was Viktor _blushing_?

Yuuri shook his head back and forth, as though trying to dislodge a thought. He looked up at Viktor, smiling lightly before grabbing his glasses and standing. He started to walk from the room, but Viktor reached up and grabbed his pant leg, blushing even harder and leaning even farther down to hide it.

"Haha, don't worry I'm coming right back. I'm just going to the restroom."

"Eh, I'll come with you. I kind of have to go anyway, and plus I need to get out of this room." Yuuri understood the feeling. When he'd first woken up in the room, he'd felt slightly claustrophobic, even though he'd never felt that way before. He'd wanted to get out immediately, hence the need to go to the restroom.

After using the bathroom, the two went down to the main stage and picked up the remainder of their belongings, each calling a cab to take them to their respective houses. They stood in silence until their taxis came, occasionally glancing at each other nervously. They still weren't friends per say, but Yuuri felt he still knew him well enough that he should speak to him.

Especially after sleeping together the night before.

Although nothing romantic had actually happened, Yuuri still blushed at the thought. He glanced over at Viktor, who was so busy on his phone that Yuuri assumed he didn't notice. He just kept tapping away, likely texting with someone, so Yuuri allowed himself a few moments to look at the man. His silver hair was slightly disheveled and his clothes were quite rumpled, but the man's eyes were still a stunning azure blue. They were captivating, like deep pools.

Yuuri was so distracted by Viktor's eyes he didn't even notice the man was staring back at him until he saw him blush and laugh, walking up to him and hugging him tightly. He felt Viktor wrap his arms around him and felt tapping on his back as Viktor looked over his shoulder. Yuuri was stuck, confused for a moment, then he laughed.

"Are you still texting?" he asked playfully, a bright smile on his face. Viktor made a you caught me face, pulling away and holding up his hands before bursting into laughter. He bent over, wrapping his arms around himself and leaning against Yuuri as they laughed.

Finally, Viktor stopped laughing. He had only just realized that Yuuri wasn't laughing any longer, instead staring at him again.

"Your eyes..." Yuuri started before blushing and covering his mouth. Viktor got within an inch of his face, smirking.

"Yes? What about them?" He moved Yuuri's hand, pressing his forehead against Yuuri's and giggling.

"They're-"

HONK!

The blaring of taxi horns caused them to jerk apart, making them laugh nervously. They stood there on the sidewalk awkwardly before another round of angry honks met their ears. Viktor put his hand in his hair, looking over at Yuuri, embarrassed. He looked like he was about to say something, but then decided against it, sighing deeply.

"I guess I'll see you tonight?" Viktor asked, walking backwards towards the waiting car. Yuuri waved as he walked towards his.

"I promise," he winked at Viktor, turning around and walking the rest of the way.

Viktor stood frozen in place, his eyes wide and his bag on the ground. He ignored the taxi driver behind him, instead just staring after Yuuri as he walked towards his taxi.

He never got that far.

"Yuuri," Viktor called, striding up to him. His head was bend down, as though he was glaring at Yuuri, but there was nothing he had to be angry about. Yuuri didn't even notice, continuing to walk until Viktor grabbed Yuuri's sleeve and tugged him back around. Yuuri made a small sound of protest as he was yanked back towards Viktor and collapsed against him, his footing lost.

Just like his heart was lost the moment Viktor's lips collided with his.

Though truthfully, Viktor had stolen his heart long before that.

Viktor pulled away too soon, not even able to look at him. Yuuri was stunned beyond belief; his eyes were wide and his heart was beating faster than he figured was healthy, but he was happy. He looked at Viktor, smiling brightly.

"I never got to finish what I was saying." Viktor frowned.

"Hunh?"

"Before the cabs came. I never got to finish what I was saying. About your eyes."

"Yes?" Viktor's smile was coming back bit by bit and making Yuuri tilt his head down, suddenly awkward.

"I would still like to know," Viktor lulled. He placed his thumb on Yuuri's chin, leaning in and grinning mischievously.

"Th-they are the most beautiful things I have ever seen." Yuuri blushed crimson, and Viktor merely laughed.

"I'm glad you think so." Yuuri glanced up, his grin returning to his face and some of his confidence coming back.

"Really? You don't think it's... it's stupid?"

"No! I think it's very endearing." He smiled, the show of happiness reaching his eyes in a way that made Yuuri shaky at the knees suddenly. He watched Viktor for a moment before saying farewell, hugging him and running back towards his taxi. Hopping into the car jovially, Yuuri turned and waved as he passed, watching Viktor climb into his taxi and shutting the door quickly.

Yuuri hadn't kissed him back.

Had he done something wrong? Did he just not feel the same way as him?

Whatever it was, Viktor had a hunch that whatever had happened, it had been a huge mistake.

And he told himself he wouldn't ever act so brashly ever again.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hmmmm... angst...**

 **I WONDER WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN?!**

 ***cackles manically, then start sobbing into Q's shoulder***

 **What have I done?**

New Songs:

Everybody Loves Me- OneRepublic (last chapter)

New Agenda- Ms. Led

 **A/N: Listen to the lyrics of New Agenda, then apply it to Mr. Cheeto (Trump). This was written about 10 YEARS AGO and yet it STILL APPLIES to the president of the Unites States. How sad is that? 'can't just feed on hatred', 'living under the corruption of one man', 'and when he's out of office all the problems that he's caused us will still be here', and 'we can fire up the nation without feeding on discrimination'. Right? We're running in circles here.**

 **There, that's my political spiel for the day.**

Yuuri crouched down and reached for his dropped microphone, sobs wracking his chest. He reached out with shaking hands, trying desperately to hold the mic with a steady grip.

"I-I'm sorry," Yuuri's voice squeaked into the microphone, the man biting his lip and wincing harshly. He could hear the confused whispers of the audience, closing his eyes to the sight of Viktor's fans milling about in the cramped building.

"S-so this is c-called N-New Agenda," Yuuri pulled away from the mic, worried that it would screech again, and reconnected it to the stand.

Today was the final day of the competition, and Yuuri was more than nervous. Viktor, despite having gotten his number from Phichit, hadn't called him. Yuuri desperately wanted him to; more than he would like to admit actually. He wanted to know if things were okay between them; if Viktor had gotten over his boiling hatred of Yuuri. But he hadn't called.

Did that mean he didn't care?

'Of course he does', thought Yuuri absently. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to ignore the pain permeating throughout his chest. Yuuri could hear the guitar starting behind him, the canned voices speaking quietly over the speakers. Then the drums started playing, and Yuuri strummed his guitar, hard.

"/Seven years in this cell/ Seven years too lo-o-ong/ You think this fight is over/ But you've got it all wrong/" Yuuri sang into the mic, closing his eyes and singing intently. He let all of his emotions pour out into the music,

"/And now he wants us to believe the problem with this country isn't que-e-r/!" Yuuri thought about these lyrics, ones he'd just come up with on a whim, and how they connected with his life. His heart.

"/What's it gonna take to shake yourselves awake/ haven't we had enough?!/" Yuuri had had enough of fighting with Viktor; of being hated and hating in return. He'd believed since childhood that there was always a way to rectify a situation, and that if you tried, you could do anything.

But recently, he'd been all but going against those morals.

Yes, Viktor had hated him. But, he realized, he'd been hating him in return. He'd never tried to talk to the man, to figure out what was happening and to see what the man actually thought that Yuuri had done. He hadn't tried to learn; he'd just suspected the man was just hating on him because he wanted someone to let all of his anger out on. Maybe... there actually WAS a reason Viktor had hated him. If so, what was it?

"/We need a new agenda/ that doesn't just feed on hatred/" He realized that was how they'd been living for the past year. Running in circles.

"/I wanna hear the people sing/ I wanna hear the people sing/ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah/"

"This ain't over/ it's time to pick yourselves back up/" Yuuri figured that maybe he and Viktor had stopped hating each other for one night, but that wasn't going to help them in the long run. 'But then', Yuuri wondered, 'is it actually possible?'

Viktor had claimed he could never hate Yuuri, and yet he'd done nothing but glare at him before yesterday; in fact, he'd even flipped him off! Yuuri wondered if the kiss that he'd given him had actually meant anything; was it... an actual kiss, or one to get Yuuri to let his guard down?

Yuuri's voice hardened as he continued to sing, spittle flying from his mouth as he bounced to the beat. He could feel his hair fly about, and he spun with the mic glaring at nothing in particular. He watched his band mates fly across his vision, and he landed to the beat. Landing sideways, Yuuri pointed the mic to the ground, listening to the final chord from the guitar fade away. He panted, hearing the crowd cheer but not actually picking up on anything that was truly happening. He just stared at the floor, his eyes wide in realization. He couldn't move.

Yuuri looked to the side of the stage, where Viktor stood. The man had tears in his eyes.

Viktor's mouth hung open, but he closed it quickly, tears dripping down his cheeks as he smiled lightly. While the smile warmed Yuuri's heart, even a fraction of an amount, there was a sadness in Viktor's eyes that made Yuuri's eyes start to tear up as well.

The man then walked away, not turning back once.

"V-Viktor..." Yuuri started, but Viktor didn't turn around. He just walked off, his footsteps heavy and with a finality that Yuuri was nervous about.

Yuuri felt his band mates attack him from behind, but he just braced himself, ignoring their cheers and shouts of glee. He let the tears leak down his cheeks, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wider than he'd ever felt them go before. As he saw the beautiful swish of Viktor's brown trench coat disappear into the blackness of backstage, Yuuri tried to pull away from his friends, calling Viktor's name. He reached out, feeling his button-up shirt start to tear as he started to cry.

What was going on?

Viktor was just walking, but to both him and Yuuri, it wasn't just Viktor walking backstage. It was him walking away from Yuuri. Showing that he didn't want to hurt Yuuri anymore, so was letting it all go.

He was letting Yuuri go.

"Goodbye, lyubov moya," Viktor muttered, shoving his hands deep in his pockets. He had realized, when Yuuri was singing on stage, that Yuuri deserved someone better than himself; someone who didn't have Viktor's track record with him. He wanted to do nothing more than take Yuuri up in his arms and hug him to oblivion, but he couldn't imagine himself doing that anymore. Because Yuuri couldn't be his anymore. He knew that Yuuri felt for him...

Just not in the way Viktor felt for Yuuri.

"Viktor, pl-please!" Yuuri screamed in desperation over the crowd.

"D-don't *gasp* don't go!" His voice was cracked, hard; manic. Viktor could see Yuuri struggling through a crowd of fans to get to him in a stray mirror that he passed, and the way that Yuuri looked in that reflection almost made him stop and go back. Yuuri looked shattered; like Viktor had ripped his heart out, and Viktor started to wonder if maybe...

maybe Yuuri did feel love for him...

Viktor shook away the thought, angry with himself. To Yuuri, Viktor was just his friend, if that. Viktor knew that he loved being around Yuuri, but if it meant that he had to hide the fact that he loved him, he didn't think that he'd be able to take it. Especially because if he went back, he would likely have to hear the whole 'I like you as a friend' spiel because of his actions the night before.

"Viktor, please! I need you!" Viktor sobbed. He loved Yuuri too much, and he finally broke down and allowed himself to sob.

"No..." He muttered, starting to run. He could feel the tears streaming from his eyes and the way his chest clenched around his raw, unbidden emotions. He sprinted from the building, running through the remaining snow outside of the building.

"Viktor!" Yuuri was hot on his trail, but Viktor wouldn't allow himself to stop. He kept running, screaming in agitation.

"Yuuri, please!" Viktor turned around, and something about his stance told Yuuri to stop. He came to a screeching halt a few feet away from Viktor, spreading his arms wide.

"Why are you running away! I thought that we'd *gasp* I thought that we had let it go!" Yuuri screamed down the snow-packed road. He looked terrified, but of what, Viktor was uncertain.

"Yuuri, I can't do this anymore." He huffed, laughing humorlessly.

"We JUST started talking to each other, and now you're just going to leave? Like that?"

"Goodbye, Yuuri."

"No. Not goodbye. Come over here Viktor," he said, pointing at the ground like Viktor was a dog that needed to be taught a lesson.

"Yuuri," Viktor begged, closing his eyes. The frigid cold blew around them, making Yuuri start to shiver visibly.

"No, Viktor. I can't... I can't let you just..." Yuuri collapsed to the snow, and Viktor saw how he start to quake even more around the cold.

"Viktor... please..." Yuuri looked up desperately, his lips turning blue. Viktor tried to tell himself that if he just turned and walked away, Yuuri would be okay. That Yuuri would get up and go back.

But the color he was turning was making Viktor start to doubt himself again, and for good reason.

"Yuuri..." Viktor muttered under his breath, and his eyes went wide. Yuuri wrapped his arms around himself and quaked on the ground, looking up at Viktor hopefully. Then he smiled lightly, despite the situation, and fell into the snow.

"YUURI!" Viktor screamed, running towards the man's shaking form.

"Oh, god, you're ice cold. We have to get you back some place warm." He picked Yuuri up bridal-style, carrying him helplessly back towards the concert building.

Yuuri had been out in the snow in nothing but a button-up t-shirt for nearly twenty minutes by the time Viktor got him back to the building. Carrying him inside, Viktor called one of Yuuri's friends, Phichit, to keep an eye on him as he grabbed some blankets. As soon as they had wrapped a collection of blankets around Yuuri's torso and basically turned him into a giant human burrito, Viktor had been all but forced out by Yuuri's bandmates.

Finally, Yuuri was back to normal temperature, thanks to the blankets and a truly unnecessary amount of baby-ing by Yuuri's friends. He stood to the side, watching the man and his friends sleep, scattered around the room. He thought about how Yuuri had run out to find him. Had almost died trying to get him to come back.

But Viktor still couldn't get over the fact that his love for Yuuri wasn't reciprocated, and he couldn't stay around the man with that pain. He couldn't live with the thought that Yuuri wanted to be his friend. That he didn't want to love him.

Viktor almost wished he'd never kissed Yuuri. Then he'd never have figured out that the man didn't love him.

Viktor stepped towards Yuuri's couch, brushing a few stray strands of hair from Yuuri's eyes. He then planted a long, sweet kiss on Yuuri's forehead.

"Goodbye, Yuuri. Goodbye, moye solntse [my sun]," Viktor turned away from the man's sleeping form, walking to the doorway.

"Viktor..." Yuuri muttered in his sleep, and Viktor turned around, smiling lightly at Yuuri. Then he walked out the door and disappeared off into the night, leaving nothing but a broken heart behind.

 **A/N: I'm not apologizing. No, I'm not. I really, really...**

 ***runs off and sobs in a corner***

 **LEAVE ME ALONE!**


End file.
